In a soft cornerback market where salaries are low and
interest is thin, the cornerback decided to spurn multiyear offers to accept a
one-year deal worth $5 million from the New England Patriots.

First reported by NFL Network and confirmed by
MassLive.com, the deal will allow Talib to prove himself for one more season in
Bill Belichick's system, raise his value and test the market again next March
with his stock (hopefully) improved.

The Patriots were reportedly willing to extend beyond one year, but Talib chose to accept a shorter deal. From the team's perspective,
this could be considered a win since it previously had concerns about locking
Talib down long term.

After re-establishing himself in New England following a
tumultuous tenure in Tampa Bay that included an arrest and a suspension for
performance-enhancing drugs, Talib was expected to
find a lucrative offer on the open market. That never
materialized.

Over the last few years, cornerbacks such as St. Louis'
Cortland Finnegan (five years, $50 million), Houston's Johnathan Joseph (five
years, $48.75 million) and Kansas City's Brandon Flowers (five years, $50
million), among others, were able to cash in.

But the market is dry. Teams appear unwilling to invest
heavily in corners, and players such as Kansas City's Sean Smith (three
years, $18 million), San Diego's Derek Cox (four years, $20 million) and
Denver's Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (one year, $5 million) have all suffered
as a result of the tighter wallets.

At least in the short term, New England will be able to
benefit from the soft market. Talib's return keeps the Patriots' late-season secondary intact – assuming Alfonzo Dennard's felony conviction for
assaulting a police officer does not result in jail time – with safety Adrian
Wilson joining the mix.

New England's defense made improvements after
trading for Talib. In 10 games without him, the Patriots allowed an
average of 278 yards passing per game vs. offenses that averaged 217. In six games with him, the passing yards allowed dropped to 261 against a
similar level of competition (216).

His impact on the defense became clear during the AFC title
game. With Talib on the field for most of the first half, Baltimore passed
for just 77 yards. With Talib sidelined for the second, the Ravens finished
with 235.

Talib's impact also allowed Devin McCourty, previously a
cornerback, to move to safety and serve as a stabilizing force.

It is expected Talib will start at left cornerback with
Dennard on the right side. Kyle Arrington should continue to cover
the slot. The Patriots also have former second-round pick Ras-I Dowling, but he
remains an unknown after being sidelined most of his two seasons with various injuries.